JUNE 26TH. - CAISTER, NORFOLK. At 8.30 in the evening the honorary secretary of the life-boat station was on duty at the local observation post where it was known that the pilot of a Thunderbolt aeroplane to the north of Caister, coming in from the sea, intended to bale out. Had he known where he would do it, the honorary secretary would have called up the life-boat and sent her out ready to pick him up. He had to wait, however, until he saw the pilot turn his machine upside down, preparatory to baling out, and at once rang up the Caister coastguard asking him to pass the information to the life-boat coxswain. It was then 8.45, and a quarter of an hour later the motor lifeboat Jose' Neville was launched. A fresh N.E. wind was blowing, and the sea was choppy. The life-boat found that the aeroplane had come down about four miles N. by E. of the life-boat station and that the airman had just been rescued by a small boat which had put out from the shore.

The Winterton coastguard then signalled to her asking her to go to the help of a Walrus amphibious aeroplane. It had gone out to the rescue, had landed on the sea, had got into rough water, and had been washed ashore.

The life-boat went at once to her help, and, at the second attempt, fired a line across her from her line-throwing gun. She refloated the Walrus and at ten o’clock started to towher to Yarmouth. An hour later a rescue launch arrived and took over the tow, but the life-boat escorted them until the Walrus was safely in Yarmouth roads. She then returned to her station, arriving at 1.30 next morning.

- Rewards, £17 11s. 6d.

(See Scratby, “ Services by Shore-boats,” page 62.).